Denver Shows It's One of the 'Big Boys' Now

DENVER -- A record, overflow crowd of 2,575
huddled in 48-degree weather to watch a historic event: the first
NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament game west of the
Mississippi River. Based on the results, the novelty might wear off
quickly. The team from a rising lacrosse pocket, the University of
Denver, fell behind five times, battled through seven ties, and
emerged with a 13-10 victory Sunday over Villanova, of Big East
pedigree.

While Denver coach Bill Tierney predicted a transformation when
he moved west from Princeton two years ago, it is well ahead of
schedule, with Denver booking reservations to fly back east to meet
Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals next Saturday in Hempstead,
N.Y.

A small stream of students rushed Peter Barton Stadium, despite
security, in celebration of the first NCAA tournament victory in
school history, following losses in 2006, '08 and '10.

The score was tied 10-10 starting the fourth quarter, when
Denver's season-long scoring leader Mark Matthews scooped up the
rebound off a save and buried the ball for an 11-10 lead. Pioneers
freshman goalkeeper Jamie Faus made a challenging save moments
later, one of six in the quarter.

"That was the difference really,'' said Villanova coach Michael
Corrado.

After another stellar defensive play -- an interception by long
pole defender Brendan DeBlois -- the Pioneers patiently worked the
ball around and cashed in on Jeremy Noble's speed and accuracy.
Bursting across the crease, the freshman from Orangeville, Ontario,
shot from the slot for a 12-10 lead and buried his fourth goal of
the game. Denver won the ensuing faceoff and maintained possession,
and after a Wildcats timeout, Alex Demopoulos, a junior attackman
from Canton, Conn., sprinted from behind the net, and shook his
defender near the right crease for a clear shot to boost the lead
to 13-10 and extinguish Villanova's comeback hopes.

Villanova (11-5) was whistled for eight penalties compared to
two for Denver (14-2). Corrado declined to discuss the disparity,
but Matthews said the Wildcats were "a little chippy.''

Jeremy Noble overcame a defensive lapse, scored four goals
and dished two assists in Denver's 13-10 NCAA tournament
first-round victory over Villanova. "These Canadian kids have ice
in their veins," Pioneers head coach Bill Tierney
said.

Matthews, who finished with three second-half goals, was part of
a trio who scored three goals in a 41-second span after falling
behind 8-5 early in the third quarter.

"We had enough steam, enough heart, enough class to win a game
against a very good team,'' Tierney said. "It continues to make
them believe that they can be one of the big boys. That has been
the mantra all year long -- not just play with the big boys, but be
a big boy.''

The players admitted that the pressure of playing the first NCAA
tournament game west of the Mississippi River and trying to win the
first NCAA game in school history was a burden.

"We know how much it means to the university and not just the
university, but the city,'' Faus said. "This game had a different
feel than any game we've played. It had an electric feel.''

Faus and Matthews, in particular, struggled early in that
atmosphere as the Pioneers fell behind 2-0 and trailed 7-5 at
halftime.

"This thing had a higher speed to it, more emotion to it and the
people in the stands made the place rock,'' Tierney said. Comparing
his experience, including six NCAA championships and now his 17th
NCAA quarterfinal appearance, to that of his players, Tierney said:
"It doesn't do good that I've been there. I couldn't throw the ball
in the ocean from the shore. I worry about people putting a load on
this team's shoulders. We're very young ... All they know is they
want to get better."

Tierney's squad blends a mix of local players, several from
traditional East Coast hotbeds, and a few exceptionally talented
Canadians (Matthews of Oshawa, Ontario, Noble of Orangeville, Ont.,
and Cameron Flint of Georgetown, Ontario).

Noble's reaction to getting beat on defense early in the third
quarter was epic. He scooped up three ground balls, scored one goal
and fed Flint for another, which tied it 8-8.

"These Canadian kids have ice in their veins," Tierney marveled.
"They don't get flustered, so when they make mistakes, they stay
with it... Jeremy's not the biggest, not the fastest, but he's got
heart."

At the outset, Villanova used alternating faceoff specialists to
win six of nine draws against Denver's vaunted Chase Carraro, who
lost two early on violations.

When Carraro reversed the numbers in the third quarter, winning
six of nine faceoffs, Denver's extra possessions fueled its
comeback.

"We just said to ourselves at halftime that that was the worst
half of lacrosse we've played in a long time and that we had to
come out strong in the third quarter,'' Matthews said. "That's our
bread and butter, the third quarter.''